Celebrate spring and May Day with Historic St. Mary’s City! Enjoy fun family crafts and activities scattered around our outdoor exhibits.
May Day has historically been a time to mark the start of spring and is still celebrated in much of Europe, particularly in England. May Day traditions often include gathering wildflowers and green branches, weaving floral garlands, enjoying a performance by Morris Dancers, and dancing around a Maypole. Here at Historic St. Mary’s City, May Day is a time to focus on the importance of our natural world. Whether you make a seed “bomb” or help create a bug house, your May Day experience will leave you with “spring” in your step.
All activities are included in general admission. HSMC members are free.
11:00 a.m.- Trap Ball on the Bluff (visitors can learn and take part in a game of trap ball)
12:30 p.m. – Foggy Bottom Morris Men perform. Morris Dancing is a form of English folk dance performed by a group. The Foggy Bottom Morris Men have performed throughout Maryland, D.C., and Virginia since 1977.
1:00 p.m. – Maypole Celebration. Dance around the maypole!
2:00 p.m. – Foggy Bottom Morris Men perform
3:45 p.m. – Gunnery Demo at the Waterfront. (Caution, this will be loud!)
Ongoing:
Nature crafts and activities in the boxwoods/Margaret Brent Garden including decorating the May tree, nature sticks, wildflower seed bombs, sweet bags, whirligigs.